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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rule — a law
  6. current — happening now
  7. mine — for digging
  8. chest — a box
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. current — of water
  11. race — a contest
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. lie — to recline
  14. race — the arms race
  15. chest — of your body
  16. rule — government
  17. race — humankind
  18. chest — of your body
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rule — to rule out

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com